RANGERS will be glad to see the back of the lower leagues – and of Alloa especially.

The Ibrox club’s displays in their meetings with their Recreation Park rivals during the last two seasons have often been deeply disappointing, at times downright embarrassing, and their showing yesterday was no different.

A crowd of 50,349 turned up to laud Rangers for winning the Ladbrokes Championship and see their captain Lee Wallace lift the trophy. Once again, though, their part-time opponents forgot to read the script.

They silenced a buoyant stadium in the eighth minute by taking the lead. Andy Halliday, the Rangers midfielder, badly misjudged a passback to his defence and Michael Duffy, the Celtic player who has been loaned to Alloa this season, took advantage. His early shot left Wes Foderingham with no chance.

It was ironic that, six days after Leigh Griffiths had failed to get the better of the Rangers goalkeeper in an epic Scottish Cup semi-final at Hampden, one of the Parkhead club’s strikers should score so easily against him.

The goal was a concerning one for Rangers. Dom Ball, the on-loan Spurs centre half who has made a real difference to his side’s play since being deployed as a holding midfielder, will miss the cup final next month due to a suspension.

He was left out of the starting line-up yesterday so this was a chance to see how Warburton’s team fared in his absence. The sloppy manner they gifted the lead to the visitors suggested they will miss him when they play Hibs on May 21.

Of course, there was nothing at stake for the home team who sewed up the second tier title earlier this month. Mark Warburton made several changes to the side which had lost 3-2 to Hibs at Easter Road in midweek. Ball, Michael O’Halloran and Miller dropped out and Nicky Clark, Billy King and Gedion Zelalem came in. They pushed hard for an equaliser.

Barrie McKay won a penalty in the 41st minute when he burst into the Alloa penalty box and was brought down by Kyle McAusland. Halliday stepped up to take the spot kick and hooked his effort several yards wide.

He atoned for his miss just before half-time when he supplied James Tavernier, who was lurking in the six yard box, with a chip. The defender’s downward header beat Scott Gallagher and drew the home side level. It was his 15th goal of the 2015/16 campaign and broke the record tally for a full-back held by John Greig by one.

Gallagher fared better in the second half. He denied first King and then Liam Burt, the 17-year-old midfielder who come on as a substitute to make only his second first team appearance, with excellent blocks. His saves ensured his relegated side ended a difficult season on a high by earning a draw against the champions.

Dean Shiels came on for Holt and Kenny Miller took over from Clark in the second half as Rangers tried, to no avail, for the winner. Both Shiels and Clark are out of contract in the summer so it may well have been their final appearance as Rangers players at Ibrox.

If it was to be, then it was a memorable one. Despite the result, the scenes of joy after the final whistle were unconfined. This richly-deserved triumph brought to an end four difficult years in the lower reaches of Scottish football.

John Greig, the 1972 European Cup Winnners’ Cup winning captain and Rangers honorary life president, stepped onto the podium to hand the players their medals. The legendary defender could not have been impressed with what he had witnessed during the 90 minutes.

“It wasn’t very good,” admitted Rangers centre half Danny Wilson afterwards. “The performance wasn’t what we have been about all season. It was disappointing and put a wee bit of a dampner on the day for us.

“What a difference six days make. We were on a high on Sunday and a defeat and a draw has put us on a wee downer. We have got the job done in the league and have the cup final to look forward to, but we should have been better today.

“We tried to do the right things today, but some of it didn’t come off. Some of our shooting was erratic and we conceded a poor goal. It is all little things, but little things add up to a lot. I am sure we will get it right in the next few weeks.”